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Oregon mother jailed for 30 days for waterboarding baby and putting him in freezer

Sharday McDonald, 30, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail

Andrea Blanco
Thursday 21 September 2023 22:35 BST
Sharday McDonald jailed for 30 days after admitting waterboarding baby son
Sharday McDonald jailed for 30 days after admitting waterboarding baby son (MCSO)

An Oregon mother was jailed for 30 days after she admitted to waterboarding her baby son and putting him in a freezer to get a reaction from the child’s father.

Sharday McDonald, 30, was arrested after sheriff’s deputies were called to her home and discovered that she had shoved the baby boy into a freezer after torturing him.

Now she has pleaded guilty to charges of criminal mistreatment, identity theft and tampering with a witness. Authorities in Gresham, Oregon, discovered the abuse during a welfare check at McDonald’s residence on 28 October 2021.

According to court documents obtained by FOX13, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office responded to 911 calls reporting that a baby was placed inside a freezer. When officers responded to the scene, they discovered that Mcdonald had waterboarded the minor and shoved him in the freezer.

Law enforcement also found pictures of the baby being abused. In the photos, Mcdonald is holding the baby by his onesie as the child appears to be holding his breath while his mother dumps water over his head.

An incident report stated that the youngster was held “At a downward angle, where his hip, legs and feet were higher than his head (almost upside down) with water running over his face.” And it added: “The only place the water could go (in that picture) was in his nose (at that angle).”

McDonald initially told detectives that she didn’t want to harm the child.

She later admitted that she acted “out of spite” to see if the baby’s father “gave a f*** at all” and to force him to return to her apartment.

“I’m about to show you real quick. You don’t want him?” McDonald reportedly shouted when officers arrived at the scene, per FOX13. “Let me show you about this little f****** baby, I don’t give f*** about.”

McDonald pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year and was sentenced to spend 30 days in jail on 19 September.

She is being held at Multnomah County Detention Center and will be released on 6 October.

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